People often eat more during the holidays for a variety of psychological reasons. According to environmental psychologist Stanislav Sambursky, this is due to distortions in emotional state, social influence and perception.
First, emotions play an important role. People may overeat to relieve loneliness or stress, which can create a sense of satisfaction and belonging. However, this temporary pleasure is often replaced by a feeling of guilt about being overweight.
Social factors also influence holiday meals. People are succumbing to the pressure to try all the foods and participate in holiday traditions, even if they don’t fit into their normal routines. Imitating others can lead to fast and overeating.
The third reason is cognitive distortions. People often underestimate the amount of food they consume without knowing how many calories they actually consume. This can lead to overeating and weight gain.
To prevent this, Sambursky recommends listening to your hunger and fullness signals, choosing small portions, eating slowly, and concentrating on the process of eating. It also highlights the importance of allowing yourself to indulge in small gastronomic pleasures during the holidays without feeling guilty.
Source: Ferra
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